Options for the Rangers with limited cap space
What They Have Done
Back in April, the Rangers signed forward Bobby Trivigno (teammate of Zac Jones) out of UMass-Amherst. He is 23 years old and posted over a point per game in his last two seasons at UMass, where they won a national championship in 2021.
The consensus on Trivigno is that, although undersized, he has the potential to quickly slot into a bottom six role in the NHL. He has the ability to win board battles, despite his height, similar to Tyler Motte. He is known to play with grit and not back down from bigger players. He has the reputation of being a winner and has a chip on his shoulder. He sounds exactly like the type of player who can surprise everyone and be a contributor as soon as next season.
The Rangers showed their creativity by signing 27 year old Gustav Rydahl out of the Swedish Hockey League. He has long been desired by NHL teams and he is finally making the move across the Atlantic. Rydahl is by no means going to be a top player, but his play style is highly sought after. He is 6’3″ and plays a gritty style of hockey, while also having a scoring touch.
He has totaled 34 goals in his last 93 games playing for Farjestad BK, and has been a top performer in their runs during the SHL playoffs. In 2019, David Enbom of Elite Prospects describes Rydahl as “a physical power forward who plays with a lot of grit, loves to agitate opponents and takes advantage when players cannot handle their temper. Owns a decent shot, useful in boxplay and a tremendous team player.”
He sounds exactly like the kind of players Gerard Gallant would enjoy. He is projected to compete for the Rangers fourth line center availabilty. Kevin Rooney has held that spot the past two seasons, but he is now a UFA, and even if brought back, the Rangers may view him as an extra depth piece.
Both Trivigno and Rydahl would earn under $1 million.
The Rangers also re-signed Vitali Kravtsov to a one year deal with a cap hit of only $875,000. For most of this season while he was loaned to the KHL, it appeared as if he was definitely a trade piece. This could still be the case, and this contract could simply make it easier for him to be traded.
However, with this contract, he must be sent through waivers if the Rangers wish to send him to Hartford. This foreshadows that he has a clearer path to an NHL roster spot, which would peak his interest. It is becoming increasingly likely that we see Kravtsov in a Ranger uniform in October, and that would be huge considering their limited cap space.
Having a player with the talent and upside of Kravtsov for under $1 million is an illustration of exactly the kind of move teams in this situation need to make.
What They Still Can Do
A popular discussion amongst Rangers fandom is how to fill the void in the second line center position. Many want to bring back Andrew Copp, some like Vincent Trocheck, others want a trade, and few want Ryan Strome to return.
All of these moves are possible, but they may hurt the Rangers even more in the long run. Andre Copp would be great player to keep around, as he can play all over the lineup and in all situations. However, he is due to make at least $5.5 million for 4-6 years. This isn’t a bad contract for teams to give out, but the Rangers may not be able to handle it after this year.
K’Andre Miller and Alexis Lafrenière are due for extensions after next season, and with the way Miller has played, that number could be larger than we once expected. It is possible to keep Copp around, or bring in another similar caliber of player, but it would make an already difficult task, even more laborious. It would likely lead to the dealing of players in the future that we don’t want to see gone.
An important factor in this discussion is that Jacob Trouba’s contract changes to a modified no-trade clause after the 2023-24 and his contract could then potentially be moveable. But it may not be worth the risk to lock up another high paid UFA if you don’t know that you can definitely move out Trouba’s contract.
An alternative route could be bringing in 36 year old Paul Stastny. This may not be the sexy signing everyone is hoping for to fill in at center, but it could be in Drury’s best interest. He could likely either be brought in on a 1-2 year deal for less than $4 million. At worst, the cap hit could be higher on just a one year deal.
Even at his age, Stastny is a still an effective play driver and scorer, posting 45 points in 71 games this year. Signing Stastny also gives the opportunity to experiment with Filip Chytil. To start the season, Chytil could be on the second line, with Stastny on the third. If Chytil excels and takes a leap, he could be our cheap second line center. If not, many likely wouldn’t have an issue with Stastny being the second line center.
Investing in players on short term deals is likely what will be in the Ranger’s best interest.
To fill out the bottom six with whatever remaining cap space they will have, Drury has a variety of options. The three players mentioned previously could all fit into this role. Also, Tyler Motte and Frank Vatrano could possibly be re-signed. In their cases, they would likely not be able to be retained on deals more than two years or for more than $2.5 million.
This could be difficult, as the Rangers made a deep playoff run. When this happens, UFAs from those teams tend to be overpaid on the open market. While this is true, in his exit interview, Vatrano sounded very open to sticking around, so we’ll see what happens.
Unfortunately, Sammy Blais suffered his torn ACL in November and missed the remainder of the season. The only fortunate thing about it is that he will likely be cheap to retain now. Blais can likely be brought back for $2 million on a one year deal. For the versatility he equips and the Stanley Cup experience he owns, this could be a bargain for a fourth-line piece.
The Rangers also had some players come up from Hartford this season, who did not look half bad. Jonny Brodzinski and Tim Gettinger looked competent in their short stints. They could be AHL pieces that when injuries strike could get the call up and not be liabilities for a contending team. Other minor leaguers like Patrick Khodorenko and Justin Richards have strong NCAA track records and could potentially be fourth line options eventually.
Another topic of discussion regards what prospects could crack the lineup. Left wingers Brennan Othmann and Will Cuylle looked impressive last preseason and looked like they could fit the mold of this team. They both lit up junior hockey this past season and have opened the eyes of Ranger fans.
They will both likely break camp with the Rangers again, and if one of them could step into a role on their rookie contract and be effective, that would do wonders for this team. One issue for Othmann is he is still only 19 and has to return to the OHL if he is not with the Rangers. Center Ryder Korczak signed his entry level contract last month. He is another prospect that could crack the roster if he excels in Hartford early on.
With all of these names being options, and many of them being in-house, there are still more players that could be had for cheap amongst the UFAs. Sam Gagner, Derrick Brassard, Derek Stepan, Nick Bjugstad and Trevor Lewis could all likely be brought in on a 1$ million deal. The Rangers could bring in just one, if not two of them and create a very quality fourth line. On the defensive side, Justin Braun could possibly be re-signed for the veteran’s minimum, and William Lagesson (who played for the Oilers and Canadiens) was productive in limited minutes this season. He could be another cheap seventh defenseman.
It Doesn’t Always Work Out
Filling out the roster with limited cap space is easier said than done. The Rangers made a bargain move two seasons bringing in Jack Johnson. He was horrific as a Ranger, enduring an injury ridden, unproductive season. Cut loose by New York, he sighed with Colorado where he has revived his career. He’s playing on the third pair for the Avalanche in the Stanley Cup Final after appearing in 74 games this season.
How these veterans on minimum contracts will do is unpredictable, and their success can often be attributed to the environment they are placed in.
Across the way in Long Island the Islanders attempted this by bringing in Zdeno Chara. He was a liability for them on a nightly basis. There are risks to operating in this fashion, but it is going to be required by the Rangers due to the position they are in, and will continue to be in. We will have the chance to see how Drury can squeeze the most out of the funds he has available to him.